Bengal prevail over Assam in Ranji One-Dayer

Bengal won their Ranji One-Day encounter against Assam at the Calcutta Football and Cricket Ground by 27 runs. A few people had criticised Rohan Gavaskar for his approach to the game last season. The junior Gavaskar, it seems is out to prove a point this year. After a failure against Tripura. Rohan gavaskar has been playing in the form that helped him to win the best cricketer of the year award in 1998. It was because of his brilliant all-round performance today that Bengal overcame a stiff resistance from Assam in the first match of the one-day fixtures in the East.

Gavaskar scored 78 and then took one wicket. However, the utility of the innings that he played was because he took the match away from Assam. After the hosts at won the toss at the CC& FC ground here today, Assam had reduced Bengal to a total of 181 for the loss of six wickets in the 42nd over. They managed to reach a match winning score of 264 because of the left-hander's effort. He launched into a brilliant counter offensive that demoralized Assam to such an extent that they failed to recover for it. Before him, all the batsmen had settled down only to perish on a pitch that has always been known to be a batsman's paradise in Calcutta. The likes of Devang Gandhi and Srikkanth Kalyani had consumed quite a number of balls before being dismissed when they were in their 20s. It was Gavaskar who went on to play the most significant innings of the match.

Gavaskar was ably supported by India discard Lakshmi Ratan Shukla. The medium pacer scored a breathtaking 35 in only 23 balls with three sixes off the former Tamil Nadu left-arm spinner Sunil Subramanium. Gavaskar and Shukla added 69 in 46 balls and that changed the complexion of the match. Gavaskar's innings of 78 came off 98 balls with seven boundaries and a six. Earlier, Nikhil Haldipur, who had been called back to the side played a dashing innings of 48 in only 50 balls to set the tempo of the game. He had 10 fours and was specially severe on the left arm medium pacer Javed Jaman, whom he repeatedly hit through the covers.

When Assam batted, except for Subhradeep Ghosh, the others failed to contribute. Ghosh for his 61 in 70 balls had three boundaries and three sixes. He showed that he had the ability to hit the ball cleanly. Two straight sixes off the veteran Utpal Chatterjee, were really a treat to watch. However, he lacked the support from the others in the side. He was forming a partnership of sorts with Sukhwinder Singh. However, Chatterjee's direct throw from mid wicket to break the nonstriker's end and dismiss Sukhwinder Singh ended whatever hopes that Assam were building. However, for Bengal it was medium pacer Shibshankar Pal and left-arm spinner Shiv Sagar Singh who impressed.